Boot construction



June 19, 1945 E. M. BoNYl-IADY BOOT CONSTRUCTION 'Filed June 24. 1943 Patented June 19, 1945 jU NITED v.S'IDIES I lfAT-ENT O FFICE f3 f j o r`." \2',37s,461 I f BooT'coNsTRUCTIoN Emil M. Bonyhady, Worcester, Mass. Application June 24, 1943, serial No. 492,044

i I (C1. :e- 50) 5 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful 'im provementsl in a boot construction.

`More specically, the invention proposes the construction of a boot characterized by an upper consisting offa yvamp section andl heel section having side panels engagingover the vamp section and being formed with openings at the front for a vlace with veach sectionbeing formeduwith a loop in a manner torpermit the lace to'be engaged completely around theboot in the'vil cinityof the ankle in a manner to` draw the upper tightly in vposition about ythe ankle.

Still further itis proposed to characterize the loops by a front loop mounted on the vampA section of` the upper-'at ,a point close to the lside panels of the heel section and a .back loop mounted on the back o-f the heel section, at.' a height approximately the position ofthe front loop to permit the lace to be eng-aged about the boot in substantially a horizontal position.

Still further it is proposed to so engage the lace about the boot that the ends thereofafter being passed through the front loop may be engaged with the openings in the `front portions of the side panels ofthe heel section in a manner to lacethe boot up the front. Y

A further object of the invention proposes a novel means for holding the lace in various vertically-adiusted positionsin a manner to beengaged about the boot at a desired elevation.'r

For further comprehension of theinvention,

andofthe objects and advantages thereof, ref-v erence Iwill be had'to the following description and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming-a material part of this disclosure- Fig.v l is affront perspective view of a boot construction in accordance with this invention and with the lace in an open position. 1

Fig. 2 is a Viewv similar to Fig. l butvillustrating the lace in a position in which it completely closes the boot.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevational View of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken sub-A stantially on the line 4 4 of Fig. .3. I

Fig. 5 is a'view similar to Fig. 3 but'illustrat-y li'ig."7 is still another 4View similar to Fig. 3

but illustrating `a still further modification of the invention.

Fig. 8 is anenlarged horizontal sectional View taken substantially on the line 8-8 of Fig;l 7. A Fig. 9 is an venlarged partial vertical sectional view taken on the line l9--9 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged detailed view of a portion of-Fig. 7. f

vThe boot construction, according to thisinvention, includes a boot having an upper I0 constructed entirely of Vfelt or 'other similar-material and provided with a sole II. The upper IIJ consistsof avamp section I2 and a heel section,

I3 having side panels I4-whichiengage overthe vamp section. The front edges of theside panels are provided with eyeletl openings ,I5 for conventional shoe lace.

A strip of leather I6 is extended vertically along the front of the Vamp section I2. A loop I1 is mounted upon the' strip of leather I6 at a point close tothe sidevpanels I4. This loop I1 is formed of apiece of `leathery which has its top and bottom edges `secured'to the face of the strip of leather I 6 by stitches I8. -f

A strip of leather I9 is extended vertically along the backof the heel section I3\ of the upper I0. A loop 2l! is mounted upon the heel section I3, and more specically, -upon thestrip of leather I9 at a height approximating theposition `of the front loop Il. This `loop is' also formed of a f Asmall strip of leather and has its top kand vbottrav torn edges secured to the strip of leather 'I9 by stitchesZI. n' I j A shoelace 22 has its intermediate portion engaged throughthe back loop 20 and its free ends extended around the sides ofthe heel section I3 and then engagedthrough the front loop I'I, as clearly shown in Figs.f1 and 2. The free ends of the lace 22 afterbeing passed through the front loop I1 are adapted tobe engaged throughy the eyelet openings `I5` and then-be tied in a bow, as shown in Fig.' 2, `for lacing vthe .front yof the boot. The engagement of the lace 22 around the heel section I3 of theupper I 0 causes the heel section to be snugly engaged about the Weareris.v ankle for assisting in maintaining the boot xedly in position upon the foot.

In the modification ofk the invention Shown in Fig. 5` the construction of the boot is similar to that previously-described, except for the 4provision of `a plurality of loops 20 through `which the intermediate portion of the` lace 22 may be selectively engaged to alter the vertical position of the lace with relation to the heel sectionvIS.

` The loops 2li are formed by attaching a longitudinal strip of leather to the strip of leather I9 by a plurality of horizontal rows of vertically spaced stitches I2 guiding leather into a plurality of loops 2U'.-

In other respects this form of the invention is identical to the previous `form and like parts are identified by like reference numerals.

In the modification of the invention shown in Fig. 6 the construction of the boot is also similar to that previously described except for a slightly diierent method for shifting the vertical location of the intermediate portion of the lace 22. In this form of the invention the strip of leather I9 is formed with laterally spaced vertically arranged openings 30. The openings 30 are arranged in aligned pairs and the intermediate portion of the lace 22 may be selectively engaged through a desired pair of these openings 3D for varying the location of the lace 22.

In Figs. 7 to 10 still another method for vertically adjusting the intermediate portion of the lace 22 as well as a means for tightening the lace independently of the tied ends thereof is illustrated.

In this form of the invention a piece of leather material I9' which is extended vertically along the back of the heel section I3 the piece of leather I9 is provided with a pair of parallel vertically extended slots 40 which divide oir and bound a strap portion 4I at a height approxiating the position of the loop II mounted on the vamp section I2 of the boot IU. The intermediate portion of the lace 22 is engaged behind the strap portion 4I and has its ends passing out through the slots 40 and around the sides of the heel section I3 to the front of the boot I0 as hereinbefore described.

A rigid strap 42 reinforces the strap portionv or other similar material and is securely ad-4 hesively secured to the back of the strap portion 4I. The strap portion 4I and rigid strap 42 are formed with vertically spaced apertures 43 which are connected with each other by means of narrow passages 44.

A stud engages through one of the apertures 44 and has a narrow section 46 adapted to be slipped through the narrow passages 44 in a turned position of the stud 45 enabling the stud to be moved vertically from one aperture 43 to the other. Fingers 4'I project from diametrically opposite sides of the stud 45 and are arranged to be engaged with the apertures 43 above and below the aperture 43 engaged by the stud 45, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10. This engagement of the fingers 4'I with the apertures 43 holds the stud 45 against being turned unless the stud 45 is pulled outwards to disengage the fingers 4'I from the apertures 43. When the ngers 4'I are in the position illustrated by the dot and dash lines 41 in Fig. 9, the narrow section 46 of the stud 45 will be properly aligned with the narrow passages 44 permitting the stud 45 to be moved from aperture to aperture to adjust the vertical position of the stud 45 and the intermediate portion of the lace 22 as will become clear as this specification proceeds.

A portion of the stud 45 is engaged through an intermediate portion of the lace 22 and a pin 48 iixedly connects the adjacent portions of said lace and the stud 45 to cause the lace to be wound upon the stud 22, when the stud 45 is turned relative to the strap and strap portion. This winding of the lace 22 upon the stud 45 permits the lace to be tightened independently of the tied flexible to permit the fingers 4'I to be disengaged from the openings 43 so that the stud 45 may be turned to wind the lace 22 upon itself or to align the narrow section 46 of the stud 45 with the narrow passages 44 so that the stud may be moved vertically from aperture to aperture.

In other respects this form of the invention is similar to that previously shown and like reference numerals identify like parts in each of the several views.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modications coming within the scope of the invention as dened in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a boot having an upper with a counter section formed with forwardly extending side panels and openings at the front with a lace having its intermediate area extended across said counter section and its ends engaged through said openings for holding said panel closed, a strip of leather extended vertically along the back of Said counter section and formed with laterally spaced vertical openings through which the intermediate area of said lace is passed, vertically spaced apertures formed in the material of said strip of leather between said openings and connected with each other by narrow passages, a clip engaged through one of said apertures and having the intermediate area of said lace securely attached thereto, and means for releasably holding said clip in a selected vertically adjusted position with one of said apertures, and a reduced area formed on said clip and alignable with said narrow passages in a pulled out condition of said clip in which said holding means will be inoperative permitting said clip to be moved vertically from aperture to aperture to adjust the vertical position of said lace.

2. In a boot having an upper with a counter section formed with forwardly extending side panels and openings at the front with a lace having its intermediate area extended across said counter section and its ends engaged through said openings for holding said panel closed, a strip of leather extended vertically along the back of said counter section and formed with laterally spaced vertical openings through which the intermediate area of said lace is passed, vertically spaced apertures formed in the material of said strip of leather between said openings and connected with each other by narrow passages, a clip engaged through one of said apertures and having the intermediate area of said lace securely attached thereto, and means for releasibly holding said clip in a selected vertically adjusted position with one of said apertures, and a reduced area formed on said clip and alignable with said narrow passages in a pulled out condition of said clip in which said holding means will be inoperative permitting said clip to be moved vertically from aperture to aperture .to adjust the vertical position of said lace, said holding means being also adapted to hold said clip in various rotated positions with said lace wound thereon for controlling the tautness of lace.

3. In a boot having an upper with a counter section formed With forwardly extending side panels and openings at the front with a lace having its intermediate area extended across said counter sectionA and its ends engaged through said openings for holdingsaid panel closed, a stripof Ver-tical openings through which the intermediate area of said lace is passed, vertically spaced aper tures formed in the material of said strip of leather between said openings and connected with each other by narrow passages, a clip engaged through one of said apertures and having the intermediate area of said lacesecurely attached thereto, and means for releasibly holding said clip in a selected vertically adjusted position with one of said apertures, and a reduced area formed on said clip and alignable with said narrow passages in a pulled out condition of said clip in which said holding vmeans will be inoperative permitting said clip to be moved vertically from aperture to aperture to ladjust the vertical position of said lace, said means comprising fingers projecting from. diametrically opposite sides of said clip and-engaging the apertures of said strip of leather above and below the aperture engaged by said clip.

' 4. In a boo-t having ran upper with a counter section formed withA forwardly extending side panels and openings at the front with a lace having its intermediate area extended across said counter section and its ends engaged through said openings for holding saidpanel closed, a

strip of leather extended vertically along the back of said counter section and formed with laterally spacedl vertical openings through which the intermediate area of said lace is passed, vertically spaced apertures forrned in the material of said strip of leather, between said openings and connected with each other yby narrow passages, av i clip engaged :through one of said apertures and .having the intermediate area of said lace securely attached thereto, and meansfor releasibly holding said clipin a selected vertically adjusted said leather strip and formed wi-th apertures andl position with one of said apertures and a reduced arear formed on said clip and alignable with said narrow passages in a pulled out condition of said clip in which said holding means will her inoperative permitting said clip to be moved very tically from aperture toA aperture to adjust the vertical position of said lace, and means for reinforcingvthe material of said leather strip between said vertical openings. o

5. In'fa boot having an upper with a counter section formed with forwardly extending side panels and openings at the front with a lace having its intermediate area extended across said counter section and its ends engaged through said openings for holding said panel closed, a strip of leather extended vertically along the back of said counter section and formed with laterally spaced vertical openings through which the intermediate area of said lace is passed, vertically 'spaced apertures formed inthe material of said strip vof leather between said openings and connected with each other by narrow passages, a clip engaged through lone* of said apertures and having the intermediate area of said lace securely attached thereto, and means for releasably holding said clip in a selected vertically adjusted position with one of said apertures, and

a reduced area formed on said clip and alignable with said narrow passages in a pulled out condition of saidclip in which said holding means will. be inoperative permitting said clip to Abe moved vertically from aperture to aperture to adjust the vertical position of said lace, and means for reinforcing the material of said leather strip Y between said vertical openings, said latter means comprising a rigid strap secured to the back of narrow passages in alignment with the aperturesr and narrow passages of said leather strap.

EMIL M. BONYHADY. 

